Michelle "MJ" Jones

I didn't expect to be scooped up by Carmilla. My dad going back and forth with her, however… well, that was well within the pail. I felt sorry for Carmilla, who, to my surprise and relief, kept her composure. It was also when I realized that SHIELD didn't have as much pull and weight as they did before.

Stupid Damage Control.

Eventually, she was able to convince my parents that it was best for me to be under her protection. I didn't blame my dad, though, and I appreciated how protective he was of me. After I gathered enough clothes for what I figured would be a one week stay, along with a few books (both for school and leisure), notebooks, and some toiletries, I went with Carmilla. Ned and Betty were already in the SUV. After we stopped by Ned's place and Betty's place so they can get clothes and whatever else they needed, we were on our way to Yonkers. During the trip, Carmilla explained that it was Peter's idea to put them in a safe house. I didn't know how to feel about it. Just like with my dad, I appreciated how protective Peter was of me. However, I'm just as protective of him, and I didn't like the fact that I was going to be 40 minutes away while Peter and most of the other X-Men were preparing for what could be another major threat.

Did I ever tell you that dating a superhero sucks at times?

We arrived at the Yonkers safe house. Once again, it was another mansion that had more than enough rooms and bathrooms to accommodate everyone.

"How many safe houses do you have?" I asked as I looked around the place.

"I have one in each burrow," Carmilla replied. "As for the X-Men on the whole, well, Scott keeps at least one safe house per state." Ned, Betty, and I looked at her in surprise. "A lot of mutants need places to hide. And we often help facilitate that. Or, at least we did for a while before the team was defunct for a while."

"I see," Betty said with a nod. "I guess I'll have to call Jonah to tell him I'll be out for a while." She grimaced. "On second thought, I'll just send an email to Robbie."

"Probably for the best," Ned said in agreement.

Carmilla showed us the rooms and bathrooms. We all took one of each for ourselves. Carmilla left shortly afterwards – she went to get food for the week. I set stuff in my bathroom, which was completely bare with the exception of a couple of towels that hung near the shower, rolls of toilet paper in a cabinet, and a first aid kit and some over the counter medication behind the mirror. I smiled slightly.

"Well, at least the basics are covered," I said to myself before I closed the mirror. When I did, I blinked a couple of times. I rolled my eyes. Dark Mirror MJ was there. She looked down at her nails as she used an emery board to file them. "Can we not do this now? It's kind of a bad time."

"I'm sorry, would it be better if I booked an appointment?" she quipped.

I rolled my eyes. Somehow, my dry wit didn't seem so fun now that I was on the receiving end of it. "Well, sure. I think I can find an open day on my schedule."

She stopped filing her nails and blew on them before she looked at me. "Would there happen to be one on the third of Neverrary?"

I nodded my head. "Actually, yeah. I'm already stressing out over school and having a superhero for a boyfriend. I really don't need this now or ever!"

"Neither of us have a choice in the matter." She tossed the emery board behind her.

I shook my head. I was getting tired of her being vague. "So, you want me to let you in. And to do what, exactly? You know, scratch that." I gestured my hands toward her. "What are you even? Are you a ghost? Are you me from another universe that's trapped in some mirror dimension? Or are you just a hallucination?"

"I'm none of the above."

I leaned forward, scowling. "Then what, the fuck, are you?!" I growled through my teeth.

That was when she leaned forward and raised her eyebrows. "I'm you."

I took a step back, my eyes wide. I then closed my eyes and shook my head. This had to be a joke. I opened my eyes, ready to verbally rip into her. But she was gone. I brought my hands over my mouth and took in a deep breath through my fingers to try and calm myself down.

"Am I really that annoying?" I whispered to myself. "What the fuck?"

I went to bed after that. It took me a long while to fall asleep. What did Dark Mirror MJ mean when she said that she's me? She couldn't be, could she? If she was, that did this all mean? I tried to wipe my head around it all, because I hated being in a situated that I can't think of a solution for. The more I tried, though, the more I imagined my brain hopping out of my skull and giving me the double-bird. I took in a breath and closed my eyes.

"This is bullshit," I muttered. I forced myself to focus on nothing before I eventually went to sleep.

The next morning, I sat at the dining table with Ned and Betty. Carmilla was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for the four of us. Ned, Betty, and I were each wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. Carmilla, however, was dressed in a pair of green shorts and a long-sleeved Albuquerque Isotopes shirt. I stared down at my cup of coffee. I just knew I didn't get good sleep last night. It took me some time to get out of bed. I avoided my reflection as I brushed my teeth, showered, and the like. I felt sluggish. Sighing to myself, I picked up the cup and took a sip.

"MJ, are you okay?" Betty asked.

Slowly, I looked over at her, seeing the look of concern on her face, as well as Ned's. "No," I replied honestly.

"What's up, dude?" Ned asked right after, because of course he would.

I turned my head towards him. I tried to come up with a lie. Instead, I told him the truth, sort of. "It's something regarding me, The Loser, and Clea. I can't go into detail now."

Ned narrowed her eyes. "Okay, that's a rather weird triangle there. What's going on now?"

I glared at him. "You caught me Ned. I want to surprise him with a threesome for his birthday, so I've been trying to talk Clea into it."

"Like, I know you're being sarcastic," Carmilla said from the kitchen. "But I'm pretty sure Peter wouldn't mind that."

I actually allowed myself to laugh for a moment. I then sighed. "Look, guys, I went to Clea for a reason. And Peter knows because I told, because it kind of regards him."

"So, why can't we know?" Betty inquired. "MJ, if it's something that's bothering you – "

"Because, if I tell you guys, you might pull a Bunker move, and unlike the last time we did so, the consequences could be a lot worse than Craig reading us for filth." That was pretty much my biggest fear. Getting called out on my shit didn't feel too good. I didn't want Betty and Ned to do something stupid that would end up awakening Vecna from The Upside Down or something. And given the kind of world I live in, it wouldn't surprise me if there was a world right underneath our own.

Betty nodded slowly. "Okay, I get it, I think. But you are talking to somebody about it, right?"

"Like I said, Clea knows."

"Clea is very wise," Ned conceded. "But MJ…"

I glared at him. "Ned…"

"I know, I know. But MJ, in the tiny chance it becomes too much for Clea and Peter to handle, you will tell us, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Guys, once things are figured out, I'll tell everyone," I promised.

It was then that Carmilla came over with two plates. One had a stack of pancakes. The other one has a bunch of rolled up omelets stuffed with cheese. After she placed the plates on the middle of the table, Carmilla beckoned us to eat.

"Bon appetit," she said.

After we got done eating, we moved into the living. With Betty and Ned on the sofa, with the former curled up in the latter's lap, I took the couch while Carmilla took the recliner as she flipped through the channels on TV. During this, we played a round of Random Questions. It was like 21 Questions, except the number of questions wasn't definite, the questions had to be hypothetical, the person asking the question can't answer, and we weren't allowed to copy anyone else's answer. It was a stupid game that Ned came up with one day, but I couldn't help but indulge him because I love the idiot, and absolutely not because I secretly found the game fun.

Not at all.

"Okay, I got one," Ned said. "If you could have any power from any of the X-Men, whose would it be?"

"That's a good one, Buttercup," Betty complimented. She thought it about it for a moment. "I'd probably go with Kitty's powers. It would help a lot with the whole investigative journalism thing."

"Kitty's powers would be a lot of help for a lot of things," Carmilla pointed out. She hummed for a moment. "I may be a bit biased, but I'd go with Craig's. It would make things a little less dangerous in the field."

"I'm surprised you didn't go with Joanna's powers," I pointed out.

Carmilla chuckled. "Like I said, I may be a bit biased."

I nodded. "Okay, I guess I'll go with Peter's powers, partially for the same reason."

Ned scoffed. "Partially?" he deadpanned.

"Partially," I repeated. "I guess…" I trailed off for a moment. "I guess I want to know it's like for Peter. I want to know what it's like to be in his shoes, to be a teenager with so much power." I shrugged. "And, though I don't tell The Loser this, I think his powers are pretty cool."

"Are you sure there's not another reason?" Betty asked suggestively.

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean by that?" Right after I said that, I realized I was being baited. I should've realized it sooner.

"Oh, nothing. I just know, Peter is rather agile and flexible and strong and… I just imagine that those attributes may come in handy in certain areas and… intimate moments." She smiled at me cheekily.

I stared at her for a few moments. I then smiled wryly as I flipped her off with my right hand. I became a bit warm in the face, still. Even though I'd never tell her, it wasn't lost on me the potential of what Peter could do in that area. I've fantasized about it. But that was something to talk about with Peter and Peter alone when we get to that bridge.

Fortunately, Carmilla cut in. "Oh, look, the mayor's having a press conference," she said. We all looked at the screen as Carmilla turned up the volume.

"…the only that's known at the moment is that the prisoners have been missing since sometime last night. Our esteemed officers and detectives of the NYPD are working around the clock to get to the bottom of this situation. Until this situation is resolved, New York will be under lockdown. Residents out on the street will be asked to go home as soon as possible. Public Transportation fees will be waved for those who need to take the bus or the train to get home. Schools will be closed through at least Tuesday. As for our local vigilantes… I have asked the NYPD to look the other way in regards to the enforcement of The Accords."

"At least that makes our job a little easier, I guess," Carmilla commented.

"And we got some extra time to study, I suppose," Betty pointed out.

"Silver linings, I suppose," I muttered as I stood up. "I'm going to go lie down for a bit."

"Want to do a study session during lunch?" Ned asked. "We can even do some SAT stuff, if Carmilla is cool with that."

"I'd be down," Carmilla chimed in.

I nodded. "Sure. Come get me around that time."

"Rest well, MJ," Betty said. I smiled and flashed them the peace sign before I made my way up. Once I was in my room, I closed the door, went to my bed and lay down. As soon as my back hit the mattress, I was no longer at the mansion. I was on the roof of Midtown High, my head against my backpack. I looked to my left to Peter. He was smiling at me with that look in his eyes that would make me feel all fuzzy in my chest.

Ugh, why do I have to find my boyfriend so cute?

I knew this was a memory from the past. But I didn't get annoyed. I allowed myself to get lost in it. I felt the urge to kiss him. So, I rolled over and brought my face closer to his and…

I was taken out of the memory by a sudden knocking on the door. I sat up. I was annoyed.

"MJ!" Carmilla said from the other side of the door. "Am I good to come in?"

"Yeah," I replied, suppressing my urge to be sarcastic.

The door opened. Carmilla was dressed in a black tactical coverall with what I assumed was a bulletproof vest over her upper body. Hanging by a strap from her right shoulder was an assault rifle. With her left hand, she tossed a bulletproof vest on to the bed. "Wear that and come with me to the basement."

I grabbed the vest and stood up. "Why?" As I asked that, I put on the vest. And wow did it feel heavy.

"Kitty's orders," Carmilla explained. "The prisoners that are missing? They just popped up all over the city."